Feeding mechanism



Dec. 11; 1945. N. R. KRAUSE ETAL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed April 28, 19422 Sheets-Sheet l o oocoooooocooumaoooooo ATTM Dec. 11, 1945. KRAUSE ETAL2,390,949

FEEDING MECHANISM Filed April 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYPatented Dec. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Wis., assignors toJ. 1. Case Wis., a corporation Company, Racine,

Application April 28, 1942, Serial No. 440,874

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to threshing mechanism or combinationharvester threshers, and an object of the invention is to generallyimprove the construction and operation of machines of this class. Moreparticularly an object of the invention i to improve the feedingmechanism of such a machine.

Specifically the object of the invention is to provide a feedinmechanism for a thresher or combination harvester thresher especiallyadapt-' ed to handle material which is extremely susceptible totangling, such for example as flax, and which mechanism isinterchangeable with the feeding mechani m commonly on the combine witha minimum of rearrangement thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma consideration of the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactoryembodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includesall such variations and modifications as fall Within the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings,

Figure l i a plan view of a fragment of a harvester thresher embodyingthe invention with parts removed and others broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of the machine indicated in Fig. 2-.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged right side elevation of a fragment of the machine.

Fig. 5 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2.

As seen in Fig. 1, the machine illustrativ of the invention is carriedon a ground wheel or wheels as l supporting an axle H which carriesthrough appropriate bracing members generally designated as l2, the bodyportion of a thresher generally designated as l3 and a header generallydesignated as M. In the present instance header M has a cutter bar l andrearwardly thereof an auger conveyor l6 which operates to conveymaterial laterally into a feeder housing I1. Within feeder housing l1auger I6 becomes a paddle portion l8, and paddle portion |8 operates todischarge material from itself onto an endless conveyor or raddleincluding slats l9 and chains 20 and 2| extending substantially throughfeeder house |1. Chain 20 in the present instance travels over sprockets22 and 23, Fig. 2, carried respectively on shafts 24 and 25. Slats IS inthe disclosed embodiment travel over a deck 26 on which material beingconveyed is supported.

With the mechanism so far described, progress of the machine in thedirection indicated would result in material being cut by cutter bar I5and conveyed into feeder house H by auger I6, discharged from paddleportion l8 onto slats l9, and elevated thereby over deck 26.

In the present instance a beater generally designated as 21 ismountedlon a shaft 28 above deck 26 and comprises a plurality of starshaped disks 29-29, assembled on a tubular or similar core 38. Rotationof beater 21 will accordingly tend to comb the material traveling ondeck 26, break it apart, and loosen it into a-homogeneous mass or mat,which will continueto travel upwardly over deck 26.

Adjacent sprocket 23 a roller 3| is mounted on a shaft 32 in the presentinstanc in the position commonly occupied by shaft 25 when the feedingdevice of the present invention is not required, and adapted to receiveabove itself material traveling on deck26, and abov roller 3| a roller33 is arranged substantially in contact with roller 3| on a shaft 34 soas to receive beneath itself, or between itself and roller 3|, the abovementioned material. Roller 33 occupies the position of a beatersubstantially similar to beater 21, used when the properties of .thepresent invention are not required. The space between roller 33 and 3|is not sufficient for any appreciable bulk of material and shaft 34 isaccordingly mounted in such a manner that roller 33 may rise whenmaterial is introduced between it and roller 3| as will appear.

In the present instance roller 3| is of metallic construction and roller33 comprises a shell 35 or similar core member on which is arranged acoating or facing 36 of yieldabl rubber or rubber-like material. Thearrangement is such that very substantial pressure is exerted onmaterial passing between rollers 3| and 33 so that material such forexample as flax straw is firmly held between rollers 3| and 33 andextends into the path of the threshing lements 31 of a threshingcylinder generally designated as 38. A beating or flailing action istherefore performed on the material while it is firmly held betweenrollers 33 and 3|, most of the grain being thus. removed from the headsor pods.

In the case of flax, the podsv are ruptured or crushed by the pressureof rollers 3| and 33 so that the grain may be beaten out by threshingelements 31. A concave 39 of any preferred construction cooperates withcylinder 38 but in the present instance, and particularly when threshingflax, may be adjusted to a position giving substantial clearance betweenitself and cylinder 38. There is thus very little, if any, rubbingaction between threshing elements 31 and concave 39 under theseconditions and substantially n tendency to crack the relatively brittleflax seeds. Furthermore, the straw runs between the cylinder 38 andconcave 39 without being injured.

Practically all of the seeds are removed from the straw at the firstcontact with threshing elements 31 and they fall through concave 39 tograin pan 49 and are removed by a conveyor generally designated as 4|,to the cleaning apparatus of the harvester thresher which may be of anypreferred type, not shown.

A beater 42 in the present instance is positioned slightly behindcylinder 38 for arresting any flying material and agitating strawleaving concave 39 and cylinder 38.

A tailings return conveyor 43 is positioned substantially above cylinder38 and distributes the tailings over a deck 44 which partially enclosescylinder 38.

Certain phases of the invention relate to the drives for the severalelements above noted. Thus as seen in Fig. 3, an engine 45 is mounted inthe present instance above feeder house I1 and has a sprocket or thelike 46 driving, through a chain 41, a sprocket 48 on a shaft 49constituting the shaft or axis of cylinder 38. A direct drive is therebysupplied to the shaft which normally requires the most power. An idler49a journaled on a stud 49b adjustable in a slot 490 in a member 4911 isprovided for adjusting the tension in chain 41. Cylinder shaft 49 alsoacts as a countershaft extending through thresher portion I3 asindicated in Fig. 4. Shaft 49 carries a plurality of sprockets 59 andSprocket 5| drives, through a chain 52, a sprocket 53 fixed on abovementioned shaft 34, being the axis of above mentioned roller 3'3. Shaft34 as will be further set forth is yieldably mounted and an idler 54 isjournaled on a swinging arm 55 pivoted at 56 to any suitable part of themachine. Arm 55 is urged in an upward direction by means of a spring 51anchored at 58 to a frame member 59 of feeder house I! and communicatingits pull to arm 55 through a pull rod 69.

Sprocket 59 drives, through a chain 6 I, sprocket 92 on a shaft 93,being the main shaft or axis of beater 42. An idler sprocket 64 isjournaled on a stud or the like 65 adjustable in a slot 66 in a strap orsimilar member 51 to maintain the desired degree of tightness in chain 6I.

Shaft 63 as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 extends through body portion I3and has a sprocket 69 actuating a chain 69. Chain 69 passes over anidler sprocket 19 journaled on an arm II pivoted at I2 to any suitablepart of the machine and urged upwardly by a spring 13 connected at I4with said arm and anchored by a bolt I5 to a frame member I6, a nut 11engaging member I6 for adjustin bolt I5 and accordingly the degree oftension in spring 13. Chain 69 passes beneath a spro ket 18 on abovementioned shaft 32, being the axis of above mentioned roller 3| andthrough which roller 3| is driven. This sprocket or a corresponding oneis fixed on and drives shaft 25 under conditions where roller 3| is notused. The sizes of the various sprockets are so chosen that the surfacesof rollers 3| and 33 will have corresponding rates of motion. Chain 69also passes above a sprocket I9 journaled on above mentioned shaft 34and then about a sprocket 89 on above mentioned beater shaft 28.Sprocket 19 or a corresponding one drives the beater above referred to,which occupies the position of roller 33 when the latter is not used.Chain 59 then passes beneath an idler sprocket 3| whence it returns tosprocket 88. Cylinder 38, beater 42, roller 33, roller 3| and beater 28are accordingly driven from engine 45 as will be apparent.

Returning to Fig. 4, above mentioned shaft 32 has a sprocket 82 driving,through a chain 83, a sprocket 84 joumaled on above mentioned shaft 25.Sprocket 84 drives shaft 25 through a safety or jump clutch generallydesignated as 85 of suitable or well-known form. In this manner conveyorshaft 25 is driven, but in the event that the machine clogs or conveyor29 is blocked for any other reason, safety jump clutch 85 will slip andavoid damage to the mechanism.

Th other elements of the machine, such for example as conveyors I8 and4|, and tailings conveyor 43, are all driven from engine 45 in suitableor well-known manner not necessary to describe further.

Roller shaft 34 is yieldably mounted, as. above suggested, in thefollowing manner. As seen in Fig. 4, sprocket 53 is suitably fixed onshaft 34 as by a hub 89 having a key 81. Shaft 34 is journaled in abearing 88 carried in a lever 89. Lever 89 is disposed outside of feederhous I1 and is preferably although not necessarily bifurcated at 99 toengage trunnions as 9| carried by a strut 92, extended between framemembers 93 and 94.

Member 89 is also bifurcated at and pivotally engaged with trunnions as98 on a tension rod 91 slidably arranged in frame members 93 and 94 andhaving adjusting nuts 98 and 99, in the present instance above member93. Lever 89 is given suilicient freedom relatively to rods 92 and 91 toallow for its slight arcuate movement about trunnion 9|, in the presentinstance by means of a slot 99a in bifurcated portion 95. Beneath framemember 94 a spring I99 is arranged about rod 91 and compressed betweenmember 94 and an adjusting nut I9I, a washer I92 being interposed ifdesired. Downward pressure of spring I99 exerts a downward pull on rod91 and accordingly on bifurcated portion 95 of lever member 89. Thispull is opposed in the present instance by contact of nut 99 with framemember 93 and nut 99 may be adjusted to positively locate the positionof bearing 88 and accordingly shaft 34.

The covering I93 of feeder housin I! is slotted at I94 to provide forup-and-down movement of shaft 34.

A substantially identical arrangement of a lever I95, Fig. 3, isarranged at the opposite end of shaft 34, so that roller 33 may bepressed down with substantially equal force at both ends. Since theconstruction is substantially the same, no further description thereofis deemed necessary. In operation, lock nut 99 is adjusted to provide adesired clearance between roller 33 and roller 3| regardless of thedownward pull of rod 91. This condition obtains when no material ispassing through the machine. As soon as material passes between rollers3| and 33, upward force is developed which may further compress springI93 by raising shaft 34. The degree of pressure necessary to raise shaft34 may be adjusted by changing the position of nut IN, and normallyspring I99 is compressed somewhat in addition to its initial degree ofcompression whenever material is passin between rollers 3| and 33, sothat, as a practical matter, the adjustment of spring I99 by nut I9|determines the degree of pressure on the material being threshed, whilenuts 99 and 98 serve to prevent contact between rollers 3i and 33, andany deleterious efiect on roller 33 when the machine is empty.

It is possible to so adjust nut 99 that roller 33 will have an initialpressure against roller 3I if required under certain conditions and thismay be anything from clearance as above suggested to the full pressurenecessary to compress spring I00.

It is noted that any pressure in spring I00 is multiplied by the effectof lever 83 in its application to shaft 34. 1

Under certain conditions, notably when dealing with flax, there has beendifliculty from building up of sticky green material on roller 3I. Inthe present instance, feeder housin I1 has a main floor I06 terminatingat its upper extremity in a hinge portion I01 to which is connected aclosure plate I08. Closure plate I08 avoids any gap between feeder housel1 and a plate I09 leading to concave 39. As is common in machines ofthis type, feeder house I! swings about shaft 32 as a pivot for raisingand lowering cutter bar I5. This entails appreciable movement in theneighborhood of closure plate I00. Closure plate I08, however, may swingabout hinge I01 to prevent any opening at this point caused by movementof feeder house I1.

A scraper plate I I 0 is fixed with main floor I06 in the presentinstance slightly below hinge por- 1 tion I01 and is pressed by its ownresiliency or other means into contact with roller 3I, in the presentinstance on the under side thereof. Plate 0 is held in position by boltsas III in the present instance passing through plate I06 and engagedwith a reinforcin member IIZ. Plate H0 and reinforcing member H2 arenormally applied to the machine whenever roller 3| is attached and underconditions where the facilities of this invention are not required theseparts are omitted.

It will be understood that while the parts of the invention have beendescribed in some detail, the description is merely illustrative and notrestrictive. For example, where the terms sprockets and chains are used,it is to be understood that belts and pulleys or other motiontransmitting devices are contemplated. Furthermore, fastening devicessuch as bolts, rivets, etc., have not been shown in detail in theinterests or avoiding complication in the drawings, but it is understoodthat fastening devices are intended wherever necessary and that partsdescribed as fastened together or fixed to each other have suitable orwell-known fastening means for accom plishing such purposes.

The above being a complete description of an wheel beater above saidendless conveyor, and so positioned relatively thereto as to loosen anduntangle material traveling on said endless conveyor, a smooth surfacedhard pressure roller in position to receive material from said endlessconveyor, and a second pressure roller having a comparatively softyielding surface, pressed against the first mentioned roller, so as toform a bite substantially in line with said endless conveyor, athreshing cylinder, and said bite being positioned to receive materialdirectly from said endless conveyor, and to hold said material andadvance it into position to be flailed by said cylinder while held bysaid pressure rollers.

2. In a feeding mechanism for flax and the like, the combination of anendless conveyor, a star wheel beater above said endless conveyor, andso positioned relatively thereto as to loosen and untangle materialtraveling on said endless conveyor, a smooth surfaced hard pressureroller spaced from the beater on the down stream side of the conveyor inposition to receive material from said endless conveyor, and a secondpressure roller having a comparatively soft yielding surface, pressedagainst the first mentioned roller, so as to form a bite substantiallyin line with said endless conveyor, a threshing cylinder, and said bitebeing positioned to receive material directly from said endlessconveyor, and to hold said ma terial and advance it into position to beflailed by said cylinder while held by said pressure rollers.

3. In a feeding mechanism for flax and the like, the combination of anendless conveyor, a relatively rapidly rotating star wheel beater abovesaid endless conveyor, and so positioned relatively thereto as to loosenand untangle material traveling on said endless conveyor, a smoothsurfaced hard pressure roller spaced from the beater on the down streamside of the conveyor in position to receive material from said endlessconveyor, and a second pressure roller having a comparatively softyielding surface, pressed against the first mentioned roller, so as toform a bite substantially in line with said endless conveyor, a

threshing cylinder, and said bite being positioned to receive materialdirectly from said endless conveyor, and to hold said material andadvance it into position to be flailed by said cylinder while held bysaid pressure rollers.

NORMAN R. KRAUSE. SHERMAN C. HETH.

